In ring networks each communications terminal is connected to a signal transmitting ring. Each terminal is referred to as a node of the network. When a node is connected into the network, the ring conductor is broken at that point and reconnected through the node. The node thus becomes an integral part of the data transmission path through the ring.
The integrity of the closed ring, which is necessary for continued communications between the nodes, is broken when a node is removed from the network. The conductors forming the ring must then be reconnected directly in order to again close the ring and allow for continued communications. The integrity of the communications ring is therefore dependent on each user maintaining the integrity of the data transmission path.